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Mutso in Khevsureti: what is this fortress village?

One of Georgia's oldest settlements: slate fortress houses in the north.

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Short answer

Mutso is an ancient fortress village in Khevsureti at 1,880 metres in the Ardoti River valley, about 11 kilometres from Shatili, with houses built of slate. Its slate buildings are attached to each other so tightly that they form a defensive wall. Listed structures include the Borchashvili fortress-house, the shrine of St. George of Broliskalo, Torghva's tower and fortress-house, and Cholokaant tower and fortress-house.

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Why

  1. The village served a defensive purpose from the start, standing guard against intruders from the north.
  2. Its slate houses are pressed together to form a defensive wall.
  3. It was deserted about two centuries ago, and restoration began in the last years of the 20th century.

Details

The Mutso rehabilitation project won the Europa Nostra award at the European Heritage Summit in Paris, chosen unanimously by the jury from 149 applications from 34 countries. The road to Mutso takes about 4 hours 5 minutes from Tbilisi, 6 hours 15 minutes from Kutaisi and 8 hours 30 minutes from Batumi. The best season runs from late May to mid-October. For other high mountain villages see where is Svaneti, and for peaks see the highest mountains in Georgia.

Tip

Plan to sleep in Shatili or the village of Ardoti, because Mutso itself has no accommodation.

What may differ

The best season is late May to mid-October, and after the first snow extra caution is needed on the road and on foot.

Common misconception

Mutso is an ordinary inhabited mountain village.

What actually happens

The village was deserted about two centuries ago, has no accommodation for visitors, and restoration began only at the end of the 20th century.

People also ask

  • What is Mutso in Khevsureti?
  • How do you get to Mutso?

Sources

This is reference information. Rely on official sources and check before you travel.

Regions and cities of Georgia

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    Kojori is a resort 16 kilometres southwest of Tbilisi at about 1,400 metres, with an 11th-century fortress, Kabeni Monastery and the Church of the Forty Martyrs.

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  • Juta: how do you get there and what is there to see?

    Juta is a high village in the historical Khevi province, about half an hour's drive from Stepantsminda, and its main draw is the Chiukhi Massif and Juta Lake.

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  • Shatili in Khevsureti: how do you get there?

    Shatili is in the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region about 150 kilometres from Tbilisi, and the road runs past the Zhinvali Reservoir through the Aragvi valley and over the Datvijvari Pass.

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  • Adishi in Svaneti: how to get there and what is there to see?

    Adishi is in Svaneti 27 kilometres from Mestia, and the road from Mestia is rough and winding, so the last stretch needs a vehicle with high off-road capability.

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